The testing of the functional systems of vehicles has become quite sophisticated and requires extensive testing procedures to ensure that the vehicle components are operating properly and that the overall system performance is in accordance with specific guidelines. The Federal Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has established extensive regulations limiting emissions from motor vehicles. One area of particular interest is the vehicle fuel system. The loss of fuel through evaporation to the atmosphere is wasteful and environmentally harmful since fuel vapors contribute to unwanted hydrocarbon pollution. In an effort to limit such pollution, the EPA has proposed that fuel tanks be pressure tested to determine whether the tanks have any leaks therein. Testing apparatus and procedures have been developed to determine the integrity of fuel tanks, however, such apparatus typically involve expensive flow rate measurement devices or utilize relatively low cost measurement devices that do not yield consistent results.
In view of the foregoing, it has become desirable to develop a more cost effective and efficient apparatus and method for testing the integrity of fuel tanks with respect to possible leakage of fuel vapors through same.